Take Care of Yourself, Marshall Lee
by gross princess
Summary: *removed from oneshot collection* Prince Gumball has old and brittle bones. It's time for the prince to bid his farewells, and the hardest one to say goodbye to is Marshall. Boy/Boy! rated m for major character death


**Trigger warning for major character death. (I'm so sorry oh my god this is sad ;^;)**

Marshall Lee stood beside the bed that rested the love of his life, the righteous prince, the fairest ruler of any kingdom. He had his hand placed on the prince's chest gently, Where Gumball held his own over it. The prince had aged, but not by much. He was still youthful and beautiful, but he was unwell. This bed had been titled his deathbed. "You do know," Marshall broke the silence, taking a seat beside the ill prince. "You can get better. I can turn you. You and me, we could go back to nightosphere and you can stay with me." He wiped his face and smiled sadly. "We can stay there forever." Prince Gumball raised his hand to cup the side of Marshall's face, rubbing his cheek with his thumb. "I'd love to. But I just can't."

Marshall's face leaned against his palm, nuzzling into it. "Why not? I can turn you. We can be immortal together." The prince coughed hoarsely, moving his hand to run his fingers through the mess of hair on his lover's head. "It's not what my family would want, Marshall. I don't want to bend my fate. If this is where it ends, then let it be so." He wheezed after those words, his chest heaving under Marshall's cold hand. His voice was raspy and scratchy, the bags under his brown eyes dark and hollowed. "I don't want to see you like this, Bubba. I want to see you smiling and dancing and singing for the rest of eternity. We could have that, don't you see?" Prince Gumball's breathing was deep and relaxed, his blinks long and slow. He reached around with his hand, resting it on the back of Marshall's neck and pulling him down close to his face.

"Marshall, you can have that. I've had a great life. Those things you wish for, They're with you already, as memories. I want to see you smiling and dancing and singing too, from my own peace in heaven." He then pulled the vampire down to kiss him, his other hand joining the one tracing patterns in his hair. Marshall's skin was ice cold, his aftershave rough and scratchy against the prince's overheating pink skin. "I adore you, Marshall Lee." The prince's head felt fuzzy, his eyes closing slowly for a long minute. "I really do. Go on and share your music and love with the rest of the world. Take care of everyone for me. But mostly, please, please don't forget to take care of yourself." With that, the pink prince's hands came back to his sides, his eyes blinking rapidly again, but not able to muster the strength to reach up and rub them. "All I can ask is that. Stay with me until the guards make you leave?" "Wouldn't think of leaving, ever. I love you. I'm sorry for everything and I love you." The vampire floated up and over his dear prince, joining his side in the king sized bed sheets. He tucked the sick man's head under his neck, pulling him in close enough to feel his slow heartbeat against his own hollow chest. "There are no apologies owed now, my love."

No guards escorted Marshall Lee for the night, letting him hold the prince and stare at the wall throughout it. During his few hours of slumber, the prince's heart had scattered off, leaving his eyes rested shut and his arms lip around the vampire king. Marshall woke from a nightmare, only to find he was dreaming of the one thing that happened in reality too. His prince was gone now, the boy he'd grown with, the teen he'd smiled with, the man he'd fought with, and the lover he'd lost himself in, was heavy in his arms, with room temperature skin and a perfect facial expression. He knew the man was at peace somewhere, but he couldn't go without him. He couldn't manage. For the first time in his life, liquid began to leak from Marshall Lee's eyes. He sat hunched over his lost prince, spilling tears on the body and resting his head on his chest.

Marshall did not speak for the rest of the winding down morning, walking straight through crowds of consoling people. He walked in a straight line, eyes on the ground, all the way to his home and past it into the un-adventured. He roamed for what he'd thought was a day, but was actually four years. Stalking fields aimlessly, trailing forests with no purpose. He hadn't been in contact with anybody. It was just him now. Just him and the surrounding world. Nothing mattered. He was going to roam for thousands of years from this one on, never dying, never needing to eat or sleep, and never finding his prince again.


End file.
